The figure of 1,789 military personnel born in Catalonia, according to the 2024 yearbook, accounts for just 2.7% of the nearly 70,000 members of the Spanish Army. This percentage sharply contrasts with the region's overall population weight, which represents approximately 16.5% of the national total. This results in a rate of only 22 soldiers per 100,000 inhabitants in Catalonia, the lowest in the State, falling below the Basque Country, Navarra, and the Balearic Islands.
The provinces of Girona, Tarragona, and Lleida are at the bottom of the provincial ranking in terms of personnel contribution, each providing around one hundred members.
In the provincial breakdown, Barcelona, with 1,371 armed forces members born there, ranks 16th nationally. Conversely, the provinces of Girona (147), Lleida (144), and Tarragona (127) are near the bottom of the classification, only surpassing Soria (124). This low representation contrasts significantly with regions like Castilla y León, where nearly 300 out of every 100,000 inhabitants are members of the armed forces.
The Ministry of Defense data also highlights that Catalonia is one of the least popular destinations for the Spanish Army. Only 798 military personnel (1.1% of the total) are stationed or assigned to Catalan demarcations. Most of these personnel are assigned to Barcelona (481), while Girona (197), Lleida (85), and Tarragona (35) receive significantly fewer troops.
